Brief question about an ethernet hub

[MIDIman]

Is it not true that you can not share an internet connection using an ethernet hub (all Win2K machines)? Doesn't this require a router?

 

[jacktesterson]

depends on internet connection type

for DSL and Cable, you need a router, because it assigns IP's to each computer connected to it

If your part of a network (a domain), then a hub would work

 

[Ryoga]

A pure hub can't do it, but you could use Internet Connection Sharing. However, the hub and modem provide no protection against the Internet (home routers act as firewalls) so you'd be more likely to get worms and such.

 

[MIDIman]

If your part of a network (a domain), then a hub would work

Sure enough, part of a domain...fascinating...I didn't know this!

Do you have a link, etc. I could look at concerning using a hub on a domain? i.e. why does this work in a domain, but not a workgroup / home networking environment?

 

[WobbleWobble]

You can split an Internet connection using a hub, but you need an IP for each device connected to the hub from your ISP. You normally get 1 IP and each addition IP costs more money per month from your ISP.

If you only have 1 IP address, a hub and ICS will work if you have 2 NICs and connect one to your modem and the other to the hub with the rest of the network. I have a friend who insists he done it with only one NIC on the ICS machine but I haven't verified it myself.

A router is the safest, easiest and most convient way though.

 

[jacktesterson]

Originally posted by: MIDIman

If your part of a network (a domain), then a hub would work

Sure enough, part of a domain...fascinating...I didn't know this!

Do you have a link, etc. I could look at concerning using a hub on a domain? i.e. why does this work in a domain, but not a workgroup / home networking environment?

I may be wrong. i'm not sure now that i think about it

 

[CraigRT]

I share internet access at home with Win2k's built in ICS (internet connection sharing) through a 3com hub.. it works good 🙂

no router required.

 

[Sideswipe001]

It works because on most domains, the DHCP server will give IP addresses to all computers that request them. It's not limited by MAC (physical) address. ISPs (cable or DSL) will almost always have a list of 'approved' MAC addresses. If a network card requests an IP, the ISP's server will check if the MAC address is an approved one. If so, it will work (note that on a lot of cable modem systems, you can make a 2nd computer work by giving it a static IP - takes some trial and error to find one that's not being used, but it can work for a while).

So basicaly, the answer is: Security. Most domains are protected from the outside, but not inside. The ISP is secured against giving IPs to non-approved customers.

A router will work, because it does NAT. It picks up an IP address from your ISP, then gives all your local computers "local" IP addresses, while using the "public" one itself. All traffic from inside the network comes through that router (hence that IP address) - in effect making it so that all the computers "share" that one IP.

 

[piasabird]

I think using a router is the easiest way to do it for the average home owner.

Another way to do this is to have one computer with 2 Nic Cards and then do Connection sharing with 1 or more computers and possibly a hub. This is kind of like using one computer as a router.

 

[DaveSimmons]

www.GottaDeal.com has had links to wired and wireless routers (that also have wired ports) for as low as $6 after rebate, so why not just get a router and be done with it?

If you get a wireless one
- change the password, and write it down
- turn on WEP encryption. Sure it can be cracked, but no one will bother cracking a home WLAN.

 

[Cerb]

Also, if you have a spare POS (P200 or better) machine, I'd recommend a Smoothwall. Free, does the DHCP for you, stops incoming connections--just happens to use a PC.
Otherwise, a router is the best bet.

 

[MIDIman]

LOL - all these posts! Please note that the reference is to a DOMAIN (i.e. in a corporate office), unlike the typical Workgroup you would have in a home setting.

The question came about when Mr Boss said to get a 'hub,' and I "corrected" him by saying that a router would be needed (as my own tests with a hub in a home Workgroup environment were failures). Apparently I was wrong!

Thanks for the replies.

 

[HappyCracker]

A switch would probably be preferable to a hub; it's less stupid in that it doesn't broadcast things out on all ports, only where it needs to go